...one of my all time favourite cars, and one which iv expounded the virutes of on these very pages on numerous occasions.....a classic shape range rover....this lovely old beastie has had one dr owner from new, a fsh to back up its meagre 75k miles, its an early vogue model from '84 with the 3500 engine on twin su's and a 5 speeed manual box...interior in excellent condition and the cars bodywork puts 90s rangies iv been to see too shame, only a slight bubbling on the bottom corners of the top tailgate give a hint that this is an OLD rr.....
..im genuinely excited about this car as iv wanted a good un for the best part of ten years now!!..a genuine modern design classic!!..the elderly dr said he would call me back later today, he's probably gonna wait and see how much he is offerd from any other interested parties..or wrestle with the sentiment inviolved in letting a car go that he's owned and obviously cherished for 24years!!!.keep y'all posted
its sitting outside my house now..drives absolutely spot on bar squealing brakes, light steering, no bangs or rattles and a fantastic cosseting ride...only thing that stops it from being equally good inside is the dreaded drooping headlining....
this is a very special range rover i believe, i doubt there is another in th ecountry like it..seriously..my tame mechanic gave it he quick once over this afternoon and pronounced it the best classic shape range rover he had seen, regardless of age...even the front hubs look new and the chassis/body mounting points, the suspension mounts and the chassis itself are in fantastic unwelded condition...
...took it for a 50mile drive and yes its old and relatively agricultural to what you can get now, but it drips character and must have been leagues ahead of the competition back in the early eighties.....still, im viewing this one as a means to an end, the end being getting my coupe fettled, so it will probably be on a well known auction site early next week....itch scratched.....!!!...(if it doesnt make what i expect it to, i will keep it for a while, even just to take the dogs to the beach on a sunday!!!)...
the three door is on my wish list but they all seem to be 'orrible perkins converted sheds or £3.5 k minters these days.....
im delighted with the one iv bought...there is a similar one up for sale on the classic cars site for £2495 ono...it wont be any better than this 'un....
..hard thing to value, but i predict it will go to anywhere between £1250 and £2000 when i put it up for sale...and if it doesnt, iv got a weekend toy for kid/dog/diy hauling purposes that can and will only appreciate in value.....win/win for me
having driven around in it for a couple of days now, i will not be disapointed if this car doesnt find a new home quickly....still, the auction site beckons. its the old make hay while the sun shines theory..been here many times before and todays mint old classic can easily be tomorrows hedge or field ornament lying on its roof.....he says, tempting fate somewhat.....
i had predicted between £1250 and £2k....to be honest, i doubt it will go much higher than it is at now, the bids from a local land rover specialist who came and viewed the car and was gobsmacked at its condition AND the way it drives..and older man, he said, 'son, this drives like they did when they were new, i should know, iv had 200 or so pass through my hands over the years'!!!
pretty sure that would set some kinda precedent for an early(ish) 5 door rangie....iv emailed the italian lad and asked for a contact number, if he doesnt get back to me withing 48 hours il cancel his bid..next bid is £2500 from a brit with hundreds of feedback....time, as ever, will tell...
if it had been a three door in that nick, id have expexted it to make upwards of 3 grand...but 3k or so buys you a very very good 5 door, a vogue se with full leather and all the toys...you would even get a cracking lse lwb classic rangie with the air suspension and 4.2 v8 from the early to mid ninties for that kinda dough...
nostalgia is a great marketing tool, for sure....look at the sales the new min has had.....iv said this before, but if it drove equally as well as it does but didnt have that retro styling, would it have sold in similar amounts...
yeah, bit of a result, but as ever, i dont count my chickens till i have the loot in my hand...i sent the winning bidder more pics just this morning and they seem to have made his mind up...thats a new record for me, beating the porsches profit handily....im astonished that there was so much interest in this, admitteddly lovely, old bus.....
...im off to look for another one now....
...see, a good honest description always does the trick.....
